


Talking Is Easy Surviving Is Hard

by Rearviewdreamer



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Abduction, Kidnapping, M/M, burglary plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-27
Updated: 2014-07-27
Packaged: 2018-02-10 14:39:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2028792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rearviewdreamer/pseuds/Rearviewdreamer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis doesn't want to admit something odd is going on when his staff members seem to disappear into thin air from his museum. It's only when a gun is held to his head that he realizes exactly how much trouble he's in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Louis isn’t sure but he’s willing to bet that there are more people in the building than he’s seen all month. At this point the capacity is probably well over the limit it should be. Louis looks around at the different groups of tourists all packed together like human herds as they shuffle from exhibit to exhibit, some paying attention and actually appreciating what’s in front of them, others idly swiping over their phones and not giving two glances. The group of girls he’s currently with are very much the unappreciative type, Louis thinks as he walks them over to another exhibit.

The group of girls are usually in class, but right now are on a field trip to the museum for what Louis assumes are educational purposes, but right now all they seem to be interested in is taking pictures of themselves (even after Louis has told them numerous times that photography isn’t allowed) and talking over him when he’s giving the background of pieces. One very loud girl with curly red hair even interrupted him to ask when they can go to the gift shop and eat lunch. He should’ve given this tour group to someone else and taken the elderly group over by the restrooms. At least they pretend to listen every once in a while.

The large double doors keep opening letting in more and more people even after he gets done shuffling the group of girls out of his museum. He looks through a break in the crowd to find a mess of dark curls sitting behind the reception desk across the room. If anybody can tell Louis why the entire city has decided that today is the day to learn about world history then it would be him. Harry is the person who schedules all the tours and showings, and even though there is no limit to how many tours can be booked in a day, one look around this place would tell anyone that he scheduled way too many.

He’s smiling easily with two women leaning over to speak with him, it’s loud today, so he can see why they would do that, but then they both giggle into their hands and flip their hair in the space surrounding them. Louis knows why they’re doing that too. Harry is very good at working with all kinds of people, even the ones that would have sex with him right there on the counter of that desk if he so much as showed an ounce of interest. But that’s the thing about him, he’s never interested, or at least he doesn’t seem to be.

The women leave him after another fit of giggles, one even leaving a note on the desk which Louis is sure has a number written on it. Harry turns it over in his hands a few times then crinkles it and drops it in the trash right beside him. He looks up to find Louis’ eyes on him and Harry immediately flushes, keeping his head down to his computer screen looking very engrossed all of a sudden. Louis grins to himself. He always catches Harry doing things like ignoring the advances of desperate men and women, and each time Harry turns the color of an apple. Louis kindly looks away.

It’s a little after nine when Louis is doing his final round before lockup. He double checks all the doors with Martin, the security guard at his side. He and Martin have been doing this routine for nearly two years together and they’ve gotten pretty good at it. They walk around the building checking the locks on all the doors and making sure the codes and camera are working. They approach the restricted room and like always Martin turns away as Louis types in a long code he has engrained in his memory. He then uses a key to turn the lock and the door opens to reveal a thick silver plated door with three bolts and another panel for Louis to press his thumb into if he ever needs to go in. He never does of course, because he isn’t technically supposed to. He double checks that the security system is activated then shuts the wooden door to hide the silver one. Once the door clicks Martin turns back around and they continue through the building.

Louis is the manager of one of the largest museums in the city, and even he isn’t allowed to just walk into that room whenever he pleases. It’s where the jewels from every major dynasty and empire are kept safe from light and natural forces of decay and erosion. Some of the jewels and pieces have been shown in different parts of the world but only for short periods of time. The pieces have all been here together for the last six months until someone wants them to be shown again. People fear that having them in one place for too long draws too much attention for such valuable pieces. Whenever the pieces need to be moved, cleaned, or hidden away they end up stored right here in Louis’ museum under his care.

Martin leaves with a quick wave once they’re back at the front of the building where Louis spots Harry gathering up all his things.

“How’s everything?” Louis asks looking around at the scatters of papers everywhere that Louis would cry if he had to sort. Luckily that’s Harry’s job and not his.

“Good, Mr. Tomlin- I mean, Louis. Everything is good, I was just getting my stuff.” Harry stops moving waiting to see what Louis wants.

Louis nods at him, “Oh yeah, of course…well have a good night. See you tomorrow.” He smiles a bit trying to coax one from Harry.

“Thanks, you too. Oh uh…Louis,” he starts looking down at his feet, “Sorry about all the groups today, I don’t know how I managed to screw that up. It won’t happen again.”

Louis grins even though he should probably take the boy’s apology more seriously. “Harry it’s fine don’t apologize, honestly. The more people the more they pay to get in right?” Louis shrugs it off and Harry gives him a small smile in return. “Alright, go home. Get some rest.”

Harry nods still smiling a bit when Louis follows him out the door. They wave to the night guard who enters the building and locks himself inside for the night. He sets the security alarm when Harry and Louis wave goodbye.

“Um, goodnight, Louis.” Harry waves just as he’s getting into his own vehicle.

“See you tomorrow.” He replies before driving off.

\-----

It’s a lot less busy than yesterday as Louis walks a large group of people through the building. This is only his eighth group so far and it’s not even noon yet. He does a quick survey around the room as they come back to the front of the building. He sees Perrie over in at the gift shop entrance trying to keep an eye on a group of kids, he sees the Harry holding the phone between his ear and shoulder while trying to talk with a family of five standing in front of him, but once again he doesn’t see Martin. Each time he’s brought a group back he hasn’t seen the familiar grey hair and uniform that is usually patrolling around keeping everyone in order.

“Hey,” he asks Harry when his line of guests has greatly diminished, “Have you seen Martin? I keep missing him. I haven’t seen him all morning.”

Harry stops what he’s doing. “I don’t think he came in today…I haven’t seen him.” He didn’t come in today?? Martin is always here. That doesn’t make any sense so Louis goes to ask Perrie and she tells him the same thing. He asks the other staff members and tour guides too and he gets the same answer.

He has Harry call his home to see if his wife could tell them where he is but there’s no answer. Maybe he’ll be back tomorrow.

It’s been four days and no one has seen or heard from him. Each night Louis does the lock up on his own and it feels really odd because usually Martin is usually right there with him double checking all the locks and doors. He hopes nothing has happened to him.

Harry catches his eye when he enters the main room again. “Hey Louis, I’m heading off. Do you need anything?” Louis smiles at the offer. He needs lots of things, one them being his security guard.

Louis shakes his head grinning a bit, “No, I’m fine. Go home get some sleep, Harry.”

“I’m actually going out with some friends for a drink or two, but after that I’ll be sure to go straight home.” Harry smiles and it makes Louis blink a few times because Harry is usually very shy around him and doesn’t offer up little pieces of information unless Louis forces it out of him.

“That sounds like fun.” Louis says, he would love to go out for a drink but all of his friends are either, boring, parents, or even more horrible, boring parents.

Louis waves the night guard in, whose name he still doesn’t know. He just knows he isn’t Martin. Harry waves to him wishing him a goodnight and then pulls off leaving Louis to sit in his car and wonder how Harry acts when he’s out with his mates and where the hell his security guard just up and ran off to. If he doesn’t come back soon he’ll have to hire a new one. Louis sighs at the thought of it.

Louis doesn’t understand why the lights are still off and why the door hadn’t been unlocked when he walks into his museum. Louis checks his phone and it’s half past eight in the morning. Martin used to come unlock the doors for him, but since he’s been out Louis has let Harry do it since he gets there early. Harry should’ve been here around seven, so where the hell is he now?

Perrie comes in about fifteen minutes later and she’s just as weirded out as Louis. Harry is never out either so it’s odd to look over at the welcome kiosk and not see him sitting there.

Harry has been gone for five days and Louis feels like he’s one more doubled scheduled tour group away from losing it. He’s still the manager and main tour guide of course, but in addition to that job he’s now also been keeping an extra eye on things because Martin is gone, as well as doing Harry’s job (which he’ll never take for granted again) which involves lots of time spent on the phone and the computer resulting in some of the most intense headaches Louis has ever had. He doesn’t know how Harry does it all day every day.

He hasn’t told the museum curator that his two most prized employees haven’t been showing up and that he is currently understaffed. He should’ve let her know the first day they didn’t show, but he just couldn’t believe that they would disappear and leave him and the museum like this…he still doesn’t really believe it.

The next morning when he arrives to unlock the doors, turn off the alarm system, turn on the lights, prep the exhibits, do a security walk, check the schedule, schedule in more groups, and then be a guide all before noon, he knows he needs to accept defeat and call the curator so he can hire some new staff members.

He wants this call to be as short as possible but Eleanor isn’t letting him off that easy. “So you’re saying neither Harry nor Martin showed up this morning?”

“…Yes.”

“That’s really odd, Louis, especially on the same morning… Did they say anything yesterday? Did they call in sick?”

Louis doesn’t want to tell her that Martin has been gone nearly two fucking weeks… “Uh. Nope. They didn’t say anything… they uh…” Louis is about to make up something to tell her when the double doors open and a familiar bush of dark curls and dimples walks in. Louis is so relieved he actually sighs into the phone.

“Louis? What are you doing? Are you still there?”

He almost forgot Eleanor was even on the phone. “Oh, I’m so sorry for bothering you, it seems Harry was just late today. He just walked in! Maybe Martin will be in too…” He hangs up then waits for Harry to make his way over.

“Hi…do I still have a job?” he asks quietly looking somewhere over Louis’ head. Harry looks nervous and even checks behind himself a few times like he’s expecting something to come bursting in the door. He’s dressed in his normal slacks and button up with most of the top undone so he looks pretty normal, but his face is solemn and his eyes bloodshot. He looks like he hasn’t slept in a year.

“Yeah, Harry, of course I-” he wants to ask where the hell he’s been for the last six days but something tells him Harry wouldn’t want to say. He looks near tears just standing there so Louis moves away from his desk so Harry can sit down and put his stuff away. Louis glances back at him as he goes to let in his next tour group to find Harry holding the phone but staring off into space. He looks awful.

Harry isn’t there in the lobby after Louis’ security round like he usually is, he sees him just making it out the door without even a wave. Louis would feel out of sorts having Harry leave without any small talk, but he’s been gone nearly a week anyway. Louis got used to the silence at night.

*

Seeing the lights on and Harry sitting behind his desk makes Louis feel immensely better about his life when he walks in the next day. He stops by Harry’s desk and his green eyes are a hundred times brighter than the tired mess they were yesterday. He assumes that’s what a good shower and sleep can do. Harry is on the phone scheduling a group of students for the next day, smiling into the receiver at whatever the person on the other line said just like any other day, trading writing on a notepad for typing on his laptop when he finally hangs up and meets Louis’ eyes.

“Good morning Mr- I mean, Louis.” Louis shakes his head. Harry almost always for gets to call him Louis.

“Good morning. How are you? We really missed you, you know…”

Then Harry does something he usually only does when he’s flirting with guests. He deliberately smirks up at Louis exposing his dimples making Louis gasp unnoticeably. “I’m touched that you were so concerned for me, Louis. I missed you too.” Harry places his hand right next to Louis’ on the counter top. In all the time Harry has worked here, he has never seen Harry try to charm him like that.

“Uh… yeah, I missed you- I mean _we_ missed you- I-” Louis is in way over his head here. He doesn’t know how these men and women throwing themselves at Harry do it. Harry just smirked at him again and Louis feels like his face is on fire. “Well I better get going.” He says with what he hopes was a smile then quickly walks away. Harry looked like a train wreck yesterday and now he’s leaning back in his chair like he wants Louis to sit in his lap, a little smile on his face.

“Have a good one, Louis!” he calls when Louis is almost out of sight. He runs over the conversation in his head and he’s almost positive that Harry was just flirting with him. He doesn’t know where he was for almost a week, but Harry is definitely not jumpy or paranoid today.

The whole day Louis has to keep himself in check because Harry is watching him. They keep meeting eyes from across the room and it’s not like it’s never happened before, it’s just that in the past Harry is the one turning beet red and looking away. It’s weird being on the other side.

That night when he’s checking the restricted room he turns away from the thick silver door to find Harry standing right behind him. He starts, rushing to close the big oak door that conceals it. “You scared me! I thought you would’ve gone early again. I thought I was alone.” Louis catches his breath against the wall. Harry never walks around the museum at night like this, especially in this section.

Harry smiles a bit, “I’m sorry. I just wanted to see if you need any help since Martin’s not here and all. Here let me walk you out.” He says gesturing for Louis to walk ahead of him. He feels Harry’s eyes on him the entire time they’re walking even as Louis collects his things.

“Thanks for walking me out, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Louis goes to walk ahead of him to his car then Harry’s voice stops him.

“Would you like to go have a drink?”

The look Louis gives Harry makes him shrink back his grin, but only a little. “Why?” Louis asks suspiciously.

“I uh,” Harry scratches the back of his head, and for a moment the old Harry is back; the one who is shy and sweet and is terrified of embarrassing himself around Louis. “I just want to take you out for a drink… is– is that alright?”

Louis doesn’t know why, but something about Harry’s mood swings tells him to say no; that’s not what he does though. “Okay. Sure…why not?”

Harry looks so relieved when he agrees that the color even returns to his face.

Harry insists that they walk to a cocktail bar just a few blocks down from the museum. They walk into the small space with glass tables and sleek leather booths against the walls. No one else seems to be around Louis and Harry’s age so Louis feels a bit out of place. He shrugs his jacket off and is very aware of Harry watching him.

“I’ll go get us some drinks… What would you like?” Harry asks already getting up. Louis tells him he just wants rum and coke. Harry takes a few steps away then comes right back like he forgot something. His face looks torn but he’s looking Louis right in the eyes. “I’m sorry.” He says sincerely then walks over to the bar area without another glance.

Louis is still trying to figure out why Harry is taking him out for apology drinks when Harry comes back with his rum and coke, after all Harry has been back for two days now. It’s kind of late for sorry.

Harry starts drinking as soon as he sits down. Louis eyes him from across the booth.

“You don’t have to apologize, Harry. I’m just glad you’re back to be honest.” He says with a small upturn of his lips. “Your job is definitely harder than mine.” Louis tries to joke but Harry doesn’t laugh.

“Do you not like your drink?” Harry asks staring at it. Louis almost forgot it was there since Harry chugged his down within seconds.

“Oh yeah, I’ll drink it in a minute…So, are you going to tell me where you were? I mean you don’t have to of course; it’s none of my business. Your family was really worried though. I talked to them.” Harry looks away and doesn’t say anything. Louis wishes he could see his eyes.

He finally downs his drink and then two more once Harry brings them. He’s just a little tipsy and warm watching Harry text across from him. Louis thinks it’s terribly rude, and it’s also getting late. He should be in bed soon.

“Well thank you for this, Harry. I should get going though. Have a nice night.” Louis gets up and Harry is right there with a hand at his back.

“Here I’ll get us a cab since we’ve been drinking.” He rushes to say while getting out his phone again.

Louis protests, shaking off the offer, “No I’m fine to walk home. It’s just down the street Harry.”

Harry insisted though, so that’s how Louis ends up sharing a cab with him. Harry is fidgeting with his phone, and even though Louis is a tad bit drunk he can see Harry’s hands shaking in the darkness.

“What’s wrong?” Louis asks with his head rolling against his seat. Harry doesn’t answer him. Harry hasn’t said a word to him the whole ride, and now that Louis thinks of it, he hasn’t said anything at all, not even to the cab driver. He looks out his window and notices that this isn’t the way to his house.

“Hey. Harry, this isn’t where I live.” Harry still doesn’t say anything he’s just staring out his window. Louis is getting more and more annoyed by his silence. He can hear Louis but clearly he’s ignoring him. “I said we’re going the wrong way!” he snaps at Harry. He sits up to talk to the cab driver instead since the boy beside him is fucking useless and finally Harry says something.

“I’m sorry, Louis.”

Louis rolls his eyes at him, he’s sick of hearing that tonight. Harry hangs his head then looks back out the window like he’s been doing this whole damned time.  Louis taps the driver, “Hey I live over near the museum on Field, it’s two blocks down from the-” Louis stops mid-sentence because the man he’s now paying attention to suddenly looks very familiar…

“Martin?!” Louis looks back at Harry and now his eyes are closed shut not even looking out the window anymore. Martin is driving staring straight ahead, he isn’t answering Louis either. Something isn’t right here. He suddenly feels something washing over him, draining his face of color, and making him uneasy; it's fear.

“Alright! I don’t know what the hell this is, but I want to get the fuck out. Pull over.” The car doesn’t slow down. “Martin! HARRY! I know you hear me! I said let me out of this car. I don’t know what the hell you two think you’re doing!”

Louis looks at the signs going by letting him know they’re leaving the city and about to merge onto the highway. “Where are you taking me? Let me OUT!” Louis swings his fist against the ceiling of the cab causing the sound to echo around the silent car. His fist hurts but he doesn’t let that stop him.

He rounds on Harry, shoving his chest as hard as he can. “Why are you doing this to me? Let me out of here. I want to leave for fucks sake!” He punches Harry square in the jaw, cringing at the sound that it makes. He’s never hit anybody before, but he’s pretty sure he did a good job when Harry’s face starts to swell.

Harry grabs Louis’ wrists in both of his large hands. He’s not ignoring him anymore. “We can’t fucking do that, Louis!” Harry’s eyes are intense as he glares into Louis’ and it makes him shudder. “You’re not going anywhere!” Harry pushes Louis away from him and continues to stare out the window, fuming as his hands shake. Louis tries the door but it’s locked from up front. He looks for something to break out the window but there’s nothing there and he can’t find his phone anywhere; Harry must have taken it. He can’t recognize anything outside. He feels panic rising up in his chest and the back of his throat is on fire from tears he’s sure are forming.

“Are you going to kill me?” Louis’ voice is small and broken. Harry winces and closes his eyes, even Martin glances at him in the rearview mirror, but no one answers him.

Louis doesn’t know how long he’s been in the car since he wasn’t paying attention until they were nearly away from the city. He feels a sense of dread fill him when Martin finally stops the car in the middle of a narrow road in the forest. “Please. Where are we?” Louis asks even though he knows nobody is going to say.

Harry’s phone rings, filling up the silence and his fingers rush to answer it. Louis can’t hear what the other person is saying, it just sounds like mumbling, but he feels a chill go up his spine when Harry mumbles ‘Yeah, we have him’. A few minutes pass and then there’s another set of headlights approaching them. Three people walk up to the car and snatch open the doors and Louis starts yelling as soon as someone’s hands grip him and yank him onto the ground. The man is telling him to be still but Louis refuses. He flails around trying to get away but the person is much stronger than him. The man tries to put something over Louis’ head and he panics and does the only thing he can think of. He bites down hard on the man’s hand until he feels bone between his teeth and wetness dripping into his mouth. The man brings his fist back beating Louis in the head a few times to make him let go.

There’s a ringing in his ears now, and he’s sure he’s still on the ground because he can taste grass as well as blood. He’s somewhat aware of something holding his hands behind his back as he drifts in and out to the voices floating above him. He gets pushed onto his stomach and he can see underneath the car where everyone is standing on the other side. The man didn’t even need to put the bag back over Louis’ head because he passes out a few seconds later anyway.


	2. Chapter 2

It feels like he’s underwater when he wakes up, barely able to breathe from lying on the concrete for who knows how long, head pounding and one of his eyes unable to open. He rolls onto his back then remembers that his hands are tied there so he sits up instead causing his head to rush and his vision to go all blurry.

A quick look around lets him know that he’s the only one in the tiny room. There is one dim light right above him in the center that shines a yellow hue over all the grey surrounding him. He can see someone’s feet under the door but he doesn’t dare say a word, he instead tries to wriggle his hands free, only to give up ten minutes later out of frustration.

He can taste bile rising up when he lets the first tears fall, and he isn’t sure if he wants to cry or puke, he just knows he doesn’t understand why Martin and Harry would do this; disappear just to come back and force Louis to disappear with them.

Voices outside the door make Louis dry up and stop crying. Are the people coming in? And if they are, are they finally going to kill him? The handle turns and Louis stands up ready to bolt when it opens, except he’s not prepared to see Harry when it does.

Louis takes a few steps back against the wall when Harry approaches. Another man appears in the doorway but doesn’t come in as he watches.

“Louis,” Harry begins, but Louis doesn’t want to hear it.

“Fuck you.” Louis spits standing up as straight as he can. “If you’re here to kill me then just do it. I don’t want to hear some fucking speech you wrote to ease your conscience.”

Harry looks put out by his words, frowning at him. “I’m not here to kill you, Louis, I swear. Here just take this.” He holds out a bottle of water that Louis glares at. Harry realizes that Louis’ hands are still tied. He glances back at the man at the door and he gives Harry a short nod.

Harry reaches out to Louis and he immediately recoils back against the wall ready for whatever is about to come. “I’m just going to untie you! Stop acting like I’m going to murder you with my bare hands! I’m trying to help you.” He snatches Louis forward by his wrists and begins to untie him. “It’s not me you need to be worried about.” Harry mumbles in Louis ear so close he can feel his breath. Harry hands him the bottle of water again but Louis won’t grasp it.

“Why would I accept anything from you? You just fucking kidnapped me, like hell I’m going to drink that.”

Harry huffs out a short breath, his eyes soft and watery. “I said I was sorry, Louis. I don’t…It’s not me- I- I’m not-”

Louis feels bad for just a few seconds as Harry stammers in front of him. He looks like that shy boy he used to think was this unassuming sweet person; he knows better now.

“I can’t,” Louis shakes his head and laughs but there’s no humor in it, “I _cannot believe_ I used to care what you thought about me.”

Harry looks hurt and he’s still stammering trying to say whatever the hell it is he’s trying to get out when the man at the door tells him it’s time to leave.

Louis is on his own again when the door shuts. He looks at his wrists all purple and swollen from being tied so long. He takes a look at the bottle on the floor and his stomach cramps from want, but he won’t do it. If they want him dead, it’s not going to be by poison.

He thinks he’s in there for at least half a day, but he can’t be sure because there’s no window in his room. He’s about to cry just looking at the water bottle again when the door opens and Harry steps in.

“Lou- Why didn’t you drink the fucking water?!”

Louis doesn’t answer him. He stares past Harry at the door where he’s sure someone else is standing.

“Here.” Harry uncaps it and sits it closer to him.

Louis’ mouth is so dry and he knows his headache would feel even just the tiniest bit better if he could have a few sips. “Louis. For the last time I am _not_ trying to kill you! You think I wanted to take you away like that?! You think I disappeared on my own away from my family and friends and made Martin drive you out to the middle of nowhere?! This isn’t me doing this to you! They took me too Louis!” Harry has tears running down his face when he finishes, but Louis won’t fall for it.

“If they took you too then why aren’t you locked away and tied up?” Louis asks harshly.

“Because I didn’t struggle like you! If you’d stop trying to James Bond out of here they’d let you walk around freely, but you bit one of them earlier, they saw how you punched me in the fucking face, and you refuse to even drink the damn water. Of course they’re going lock you in here.”

Louis has never heard Harry’s voice so full of power and so belittling. He’s usually much more subdued and sweet. This is a side of him he’s never seen, but even so, what he’s saying doesn’t sound like complete bullshit. It _would_ explain why he and Martin got dragged out of the car just like him, and also the man who follows Harry like a shadow; the man who is probably right outside the door.

“If it’s not you, then what do they want? Why did you lie to get me to go with you? Where is Martin?” Louis knows that’s a whole lot of questions but he waits patiently while Harry checks behind him like he’s paranoid someone will hear.

“They want to break into the museum.” He whispers stepping closer to Louis.

“They need to kidnap people just so they can steal some paintings and relics?” Louis’ mouth falls open. “Who the hell are _they_?”

Harry shakes his head, checking the door again before talking, “I don’t know… a bunch of guys; there’s seven of them. They took Martin thinking the security guard could help them but he was no good so they took me. They want everything but they’re focus is what’s in the restricted room… They-”

“Need me to open it…” Louis finishes for him. Harry nods looking back at the door again. Louis wishes he would stop doing that. “I won’t do it.”

Harry’s eyes widen at his words, “What do you mean? You have to. If not then I don’t know what they’ll do.”

“I don’t care. They can do what they like but I’m not going to be used in an attempt of burglary. They can go fuck themselves!” Louis says it so loud that the man outside the door opens it. He motions for Harry to come out but he’s stuck where he is still staring at Louis, pleading with his eyes.

\-----

Someone slips a sandwich into his room after he fell asleep for a while. He wishes he knew how long he’s been there. He hates himself for every bite, but he’s starving and he doesn’t know how much longer he’ll be here so he eats it. He even drinks the stupid water that Harry left for him days ago; it’s delicious.

It feels like forever before anyone else comes to speak to him. When the door opens again he’s expecting Harry but it’s a man Louis has never seen before, or at least he thinks he hasn’t. He looks kind of like Harry except he’s older. He smiles as soon as he strolls in and that makes Louis automatically not trust him.

“Hello there, Louis Tomlinson. How are you?”

Louis glares at him. What kind of fucking question is that?

“Well I know you can talk because my friends tell me you’ve been talking to Harry…they say you were doing some shouting earlier.” The man grins and shakes his head, “That won’t do, Louis.”

Louis sees someone move in the doorway. He’s actually happy to see that it’s Harry and Martin.

“Hellooooo,” The man sings waving his hands in front of Louis’ face like a prick. “I’m over here, and you’re really starting to get on my nerves. I don’t like being ignored. So, how are you Louis?”

Harry looks at him desperately from the door way. If not for him, Louis wouldn’t say anything at all but the fear he’s showing makes Louis answer. “I want to go home.” He says with a bit of bite in his tone.

“MMmm. Yes, well don’t we all? I can actually arrange that for you Louis…it would be easy to let you go back to your mundane little life. I will do that for you, that is, if you help me first.”

Louis doesn’t want to hear this bullshit. He’s heard it once from Harry already. “I’m not going to do it.”

The man laughs, “It’s funny because you think you have a choice. No love, you _are_ going to help me.”

Louis looks up at him defiantly. “We’ll see about that.” The man laughs now, clearly amused that Louis isn’t making this easy.

Louis has half a mind to laugh right along with him until he pulls out a gun and points it at his chest. The man isn’t laughing anymore.

“Now Louis Tomlinson, don’t make me do things I said I wouldn’t do anymore. I really want to get this done without murder, but don’t think I won’t.”  He smiles at him again staring at him down the barrel of the pistol.

He’s waiting for Louis to say something, maybe to even apologize for refusing him. “You won’t shoot me.” Louis scoffs. “You need me. I’m the manager of the fucking museum! Good luck getting in with me dead.” Louis boldly states crossing his arms. The amusement has left the man’s eyes completely now as he motions to the people at the door. Both Harry and Martin get roughly shoved in and Louis’ heart rate picks up. He’s fucked up now.

They both try to move out of the way, but the man yanks Martin over to him and holds him by the arm with the gun at his head. “Please!! Mr. Grimshaw! Please don’t!” Martin yells in tears as he struggles to get away. Louis can’t believe his eyes or his ears as he watches the man cock the gun.

Louis panics trying to get the man's attention back, “Okay! OKAY!! ALRIGHT STOP! DON’T DO IT! PLEASE DON’T SH-”

The bullet is released with a great sound that ricochets off the hard concrete as Martin hits the ground in a loud thump at Mr. Grimshaw’s feet. He feels sick. Louis is certain he’s going to vomit. Harry is on the ground too but it’s just because his knees have given in. He’s crying into his elbow pleading with Louis to just agree. Louis can’t think straight, he needs to go outside, he needs air, but then suddenly the gun is pointed back at him.

“I’LL DO IT! I’ll help you! I will! I will!” Louis shouts so loud his voice breaks on the end.

Grimshaw holds the gun in his face for a few more beats like he’s deliberating whether or not Louis is telling the truth, then moves it away with a grin. “That’s more like it!”

Louis can’t believe the man is smiling after doing something like that. Louis’ not sure if he can smell the blood dripping out of Martin’s head or if he’s imagining it, but his stomach is gurgling and twisting regardless. He feels his stomach lurch up to his throat when the man shoves Harry over towards Louis. He turns to go but then he stops after two steps and turns back to them.

“Don’t try to be smarter than me again Louis. Yes, I need you alive to help me, but that doesn’t mean I won’t shoot you.” He points the gun down to floor where Louis is sitting and when he pulls the trigger he swears his leg is on fire and is being ripped off of him. The pain rushes over him and the sound Louis lets out is enough to make Harry cover his ears and duck his head into his knees.

Grimshaw doesn’t say anything else as he leaves, this time shutting both Louis and Harry inside. Louis sees the door shut and then his eyes fall on Martin and all of his grey hair covered in so much blood that Louis turns his head and vomits right beside himself. He can;t hear anything and he feels dizzy, hands feeling down his legs until he feels the growing wet spot on his thigh. He chances a look down at it and it’s not even ten seconds before he’s vomiting again.


	3. Chapter 3

When Louis wakes up he’s not sure why one of his legs feels numb, that is until he opens his eyes and remembers.

Martin’s body is long gone but the dark stain in the middle of the floor is the brightest thing in the room. He chances a look at his thigh again but it’s covered by his slacks so he can’t really see the damage. It’s probably better that way, Louis thinks.

Harry is still beside him, but he’s all scrunched up, green eyes so wide and red that Louis is sure he hasn’t slept at all. “They brought stuff in…I didn’t want to touch anything till you woke up.” Harry mumbles into his knees. He’s still sitting in the exact same position. Louis wonders if he’s been like that the whole time. 

Harry walks over to the door and brings back the two bottles of water and the first aid kit that someone slid inside hours ago. He carries it all in shaking hands, carefully avoiding the blood in the center of the floor. Louis would puke again if there was anything left in his stomach.

The look on Harry’s face is so broken and scared that Louis immediately feels guilt wash over him. He looks so much more shattered than the other times Louis talked to him in this room. Before he even looked hopeful like he knew he’d be getting out of this alive, but after what Louis just caused to happen… Louis isn’t even sure what’s going to happen to them.

His head is resting against the concrete wall as Harry digs through the kit. This is his all his fault. Harry was even allowed to walk from room to room before Louis had to go and fuck everything up. “Harry…I am so sorry this happened. I don’t- I don’t even know what to say.” Harry stops what he’s doing to look at him, and he looks just as sorry as Louis feels.

“I killed Martin. I fucking- I..” Louis buries his head in his hands as he cries, he wants so badly to leave or wake up from this nightmare. “I’m sorry Harry! I am! I should’ve listened to you the first time! Martin’s wife is going to be alone because I couldn’t shut up and save her husband!…I can’t take it, I can’t- I can’t breathe!” He sobs letting it all out at once. Harry wraps his arms around him cradling Louis’ head to his chest.

He shushes Louis and rubs his back as he rocks the top half of his body in time, careful not to hurt his leg anymore. “Louis it’s not your fault,” he says when Louis stops crying. “You didn’t know he was going to do that. It isn’t your fault, okay?” Louis nods against Harry’s chest but he doesn’t believe it for a moment. Martin would be alive if he would’ve just done what Grimshaw asked the first time.

He stays connected to Harry until the pain in his leg forces him to wince. “We need to clean that up,” Harry whispers close to Louis’ ear. “It’ll get infected if we don’t.”

Harry digs into the kit and pulls out some tape, a roll of gauze, needle and thread, a small bottle of peroxide and some alcohol that makes Louis want to cry at the sight of it. “Take those off,” Harry gestures to Louis’ once very nice dress slacks as he opens up the gauze. He must catch the expression Louis gives him, because Harry blushes after a few seconds. “I won’t look.”

It’s not that Louis is shy or overly modest or anything, it’s just that he’s thought about being in this kind of situation with Harry before. He used to let the images play out in his head when he was alone or Harry did something he found particularly endearing. He never in a million years thought that it would happen, and he didn’t think it would feature a fucking bullet wound.

Louis undoes his belt at his waist and tries to use the bottom of his feet to push himself off the floor to wriggle his legs out. He screams out when he puts any weight on it at all and comes crashing right back down to the floor again, a light thud and groan at the sharp pains running through his thigh. “I can’t do it.” He admits breathing harder than he should be from just attempting to move a few inches.

Harry nods and crawls closer to him. He helps Louis shift his weight to get the slacks off and then rolls them down his calves and off his feet. Louis gives him a look when Harry takes them completely off his body. “The uh- the wound needs to breathe.” He says with his ears bright red. It makes Louis want to smile even though his leg is fire.

Taking a look at it for the first time, it’s not as bad as Louis imagined. The hole goes straight through Louis’ thigh and out the back of it down into the concrete floor. The exit wound in the back of his leg looks way worse than the front once Harry cleans off all the dried blood. He sits still for Harry, clenching down on his teeth and Harry’s shoulder when he pours the alcohol over the wound making sure it goes inside Louis’ skin to clean it. He tries not to make noises but he can’t help the shriek he lets out as the liquid flows down into his thigh. He’s even louder when Harry finally sews it up.

Harry apologizes a thousand times as he wraps Louis' leg up with gauze, taping the ends to hold it in place right above Louis’ boxer briefs. “Thank you.” Louis manages to whisper, grabbing onto Harry’s shoulder before he goes to put the kit back at the door.

Harry gives him a small upturn of his lips. “Of course, Louis.”

It’s been a while since Louis woke up. They even got two sandwiches slipped into the room. Harry goes to retrieve them after the door closes and hands one off to Louis. Louis wishes he didn’t have to rely on psychopaths with guns to supply him with food, but he has no other choice so he eats it. He frowns at every piece of old lettuce that slides down his throat.

It’s very quiet after a while. They were trying to listen to the voices of the people walking by the room, but they couldn’t pick up anything more than a few words.  Now it’s silent all around them, so silent that Louis is almost asleep again when Harry speaks up.

“I am sorry.”

Louis tilts his head toward him. “For what? You didn’t do anything. If anyone should be sorry it’s me.” Harry shakes his head.

“I shouldn’t have done what they asked. I shouldn’t have helped them get you, but I didn’t know what else to do.” Louis spots Harry’s hand lying limp beside him on the ground. He grasps it firmly.

“Grimshaw shot me because I refused him. I understand Harry, really. Don’t put this all on yourself. Anyone would’ve done the same.”

Harry lets a few tears fall down his cheeks when he looks at their hands intertwined. “But I’m still sorry,” he sniffs, “I- I took advantage of you. I took you for drinks and led you to believe I was being a gentlemen who wanted to make sure you got home alright and I-”

“And you did what you were told because you had to.” Louis finishes.

“They threatened my family, Louis. My parents and my sister and even her fiancé… I didn’t know what else to do.” Harry squeezes Louis hand as he cries. “Now I don’t know if I’ll ever see them again.” Harry stares at the floor with a steady stream of tears soaking his shirt. He looks a few seconds away from a break down. “Lou, I don’t want to die in here.” He whispers, dropping his chin to his chest.

Louis can’t take it. He can’t deal with seeing Harry so upset and riddled with guilt. The pain in his leg kills him to do so, but he scoots over to Harry so their bodies rest together against the wall. He lifts Harry’s chin up so he’s looking right at him. “Do you know what I thought when I saw you walk in through those museum doors like nothing was wrong when you came back?” Harry sighs and shakes his head at Louis. “I had never been happier to see someone, and that includes my family and friends. I thought you and Martin were dead, Harry. I didn’t say it out loud, but I thought you were gone. I am so glad that you’re not.”

Harry smiles a little and the tears aren’t falling anymore so Louis lets his fingers drop away from his chin. He grabs Harry’s other hand instead. “You made me feel so relieved just by coming back and then you made me feel so good when you asked me for drinks…I couldn’t believe it actually…” Louis smiles to himself, embarrassed now of what he’s admitting to Harry. He drops Harry’s hands and folds his own in his lap in case that was too much to admit at once.

He’s surprised when Harry reaches out for him and grabs one of his hands back. “I wish I had asked you for drinks when it counted.”

Louis grins harder, knowing his cheeks are on fire, but he doesn’t feel ashamed because Harry’s face is just as bright. “Maybe one day.”

\----

Harry keeps up with how much time has passed by how often they get fed. Apparently they get two sandwiches daily so that means they’ve been in here together for two days. Louis feels absolutely wretched. His leg hurts like a motherfucker, he’s sick of eating sandwiches with slimy lettuce and cheese, he’s can’t stand the smell of blood and vomit mixed in the room, and he feels dehydrated since they only get small amounts of water per day and he nearly bled out when he got shot. But even through all that shit, he’s still glad he’s not in this room alone.

He knew he liked Harry before when they worked together. He could always see how great he was in the way he could just chat with anyone. He makes people feel important while they’re talking to him, and that’s not something very many people can do. The way he flirts with people vying for his attention never outweighs the fact that Harry is genuinely good and wants people to feel good around him. That’s why Louis would smile to himself when Harry would fumble around him like he was nervous. That’s why as soon as other people are gone, as soon as the flirting stops, he reverts right back to the wonderful man that Louis has grown so fond of; the one that’s caught up in this mess with him.

“We need to change your bandages again” he says, gently shaking Louis out of his sleep. Louis meets his eyes and smiles. He likes waking up to Harry’s face instead of the grey concrete he was used to. “Ready?” Harry asks smiling back. Louis has been really transfixed on Harry’s smile these past few days. It’s kind of cartoonish in the way his lips take up his whole face and then his dimples come out of nowhere to punctuate it. He thinks it’s his favorite thing about him.

He lays down on his back keeping his legs bent at the knees and his arms down at his sides, his eyes closed tight. Harry removes the gauze from around his leg, careful not to agitate it or hurt Louis. He wipes it down on both sides then redresses it with fresh gauze and tapes it in place. Usually Harry tells him when he’s all done, but this time Louis peeks his eyes open and catches Harry staring. He clears his throat to get Harry’s attention and his cheeks turn pink. He coughs into his hand, averting his eyes away from Louis’ skin. “Sorry.”

Louis sits up trying to hide his smirk. It’s neither the time nor the place for this kind of thing, but it still feels good to know that Harry was at least looking. “It’s alright. You have eyes…you’re allowed to use them.” Louis says laughing to himself. Harry bites down on his lip, his eyes alight.

Four more sandwiches come their way when Harry suggests that Louis try to walk around. His heart leaps at the idea of it since he hasn’t been off the floor in days, but he knows it’ll be easier said than done. His face must show his hesitation because Harry places a light hand on his thigh. “I’ll help you.” He smiles encouragingly.

It’s a struggle just for Louis to stand, so Harry brackets his legs over him and helps support his weight. He wraps a strong arm around Louis’ middle as he helps Louis upright moving as slow as he possibly can.

At first it feels like a thousand knives are being shoved into his leg, then he remembers that it’s not knives, he just got shot. Harry sees him wincing in pain and moves to stand directly in front of Louis, both of his hands on his waist. “Are you okay? Can you move?” he asks with wide green eyes filled with worry. If Louis wasn’t in so much pain he would be thinking how lovely Harry looks this close to him.

Louis grunts and nods as he takes a step with his good leg- not so hard. But then he has to raise and plant the other leg down beside it and the knives are back. He pushes through the pain tearing through his thigh, gripping onto Harry’s shoulders much harder than he should be, but Harry doesn’t say anything, he just holds Louis tighter.  They make a full turn around the room, both of them dutifully ignoring the large stain in the middle of it. They’re on the way back to their spot against the wall when all of sudden the door flies open startling them both.

Grimshaw takes in the scene around him and breaks out into a giggle. “Isn’t this the loveliest turn of events! Our dear Harold helping our stubborn Louis walk again after he ran his mouth and I put a bullet in him.” Harry tenses and shuts his eyes tight while helping Louis back to the floor. “Oh please don’t stop on my account, I’m just here to chat, lads!” Grimshaw sits down in front of them both with his knees folded under him like they’re at a slumber party or something. Louis wishes he wouldn’t get this close.

Neither boy wants to look him in face so Grimshaw inches up closer. “Now guys… you don’t have to be afraid of me, yeah? No guns this time I promise,” he holds his palms up for them to see like that eases their worry- it doesn’t. “I’m here to tell you the good news…and some bad news unfortunately. Bad news is that bitch that runs your gift shop has been running her fat mouth off to the police and now both of your and the old guy’s faces are being shown on every screen in the fucking country.”

Louis chances a look at him and he actually looks upset that people realize something weird is going on. Of course people will notice when the manager of the busiest museum in the city goes missing, Louis thinks. This man can’t be that fucking stupid.

“The good news is that we’re ready to go! We’re going to wait for things to cool off since the little cunt had the police there this afternoon, but after that it’s show time!” He smiles at them waiting for a response. “Aren’t you excited?” he looks back and forth between them. His smile falls off his face. “I _said_ aren’t you excited??” His tone makes Harry and Louis nod quickly. His eyes light up again. “Great! I’ll be back for you lot! Keep working on that leg, Louis Tomlinson! I’ll bring you some more slacks because those other ones are bloody awful.” Nick laughs as he slams the door, seeing himself out.

He’s been gone for ten minutes and Harry’s eyes are still shut. Louis looks down at Harry’s fists shaking down at his side and his heart breaks for him. He wasn’t afraid like this until Martin was shot and killed right in front of him.

“Harry…? Hey, Harry. It’s okay,” Louis grabs his hand massaging slow circles into it. “He’s gone and you’re okay... we might even be getting out of here soon.” Louis tries.

When Harry turns to look at him, a few tears fall down his cheeks. He smiles at Louis through them though. “ _You_ might be getting out of here. And I’m glad, Lou.”

Louis frowns. “What do you mean? If _I_ get out then _you_ get out. What are you-?”

Harry sadly shakes his head. “No, Louis. He needs you. You know the codes to all the locks. He thought Martin would know since he’s a guard but he didn’t. Then he took me because he thought the codes were in the computer system and I’m the one who uses them all the time. He thought I would know but I didn’t. He has you now. He knows that you can get him in. He has no use for me anymore just like Martin…” a few more tears run down his face.  “I know I’m probably not making it out of this alive, but- but you will.”

“Harry… that’s not true. Martin is dead because I provoked him. I’m going to do what he asks from now on so he has no reason to kill you, Harry. Don’t think like that. You _are_ getting out of here.”

Harry smiles though it’s not real. “I hope you’re right.” His smile crumbles and he’s crying again. Louis can’t take it. He cannot stand to see Harry like this, it tears him up inside for Harry to be thinking these things. If anyone deserves to survive this it’s him.

Louis grabs his chin and turns Harry’s head towards him just like the last time Harry was this upset. He leans in this time, Harry’s eyes following Louis’ lips the whole way until they finally touch him. Harry sighs through his nose, a content sound coming from him when Louis kisses him softly, still rubbing little circles onto Harry’s hand. Harry opens his mouth to him after a bit of coaxing and Louis can physically feel him relaxing. When Louis pulls away he kisses Harry’s forehead and wipes the drying tears off his cheeks. “We’re getting out of here _together_. I won’t leave without you.”


	4. Chapter 4

Another round of sandwiches come and then another and Louis is almost unsure of whether or not Grimshaw has forgotten about them. Harry seems to be doing much better; he even helps Louis walk around a bit, his hands keeping a tight grasp on him as Louis limps around the room. When they finally sit Louis thanks him with his lips, sharing tender kisses that make even his own heart race. He likes being able to make Harry forget this place, even for just a few moments.

They sit in their cramped room, their hands clasped together between them. Harry offers to redress Louis’ wound again just in case they’re going to be forced to leave soon. Louis lies down in his regular position while Harry works, but this time when he’s finished Harry leans down and closes the gap between them to let Louis know that he’s finished. If Louis focuses really hard, he can imagine Harry kissing him like that on his sofa at home, or at a table in a restaurant somewhere, anywhere but here.

The illusion is shattered a few hours later when some man, Higgins, Harry tells him, comes to collect them. It’s the first time Louis has been outside the small concrete room and seen more than a couple of people at a time. Everyone is standing at the door leading outside waiting for them, most of them carrying pistols.

He spots Grimshaw at the front waving his gun around excitedly as he talks with the others. He spots Harry and Louis walking up and breaks out into a wild laugh. “Here they are! The stars of the show!” he hands his gun to someone then grabs Louis and Harry’s hands in his looking very serious.

“Now I’m depending on you two to not fuck this up. That means none of that weird ‘I’m going to make a run for it just because I’m not locked in a room’ bullshit, okay? Louis I’m talking to you.” He says and glares at him. “Harry here can be trusted! He even delivered you here to me like I asked and it only took him a day.” He pats Harry too hard on the back like he’s a puppy who just performed a trick for his master.

They get led out into black cars much like the one he was brought here in. Luckily they keep Louis and Harry together, but that little victory is short lived because as soon as they slide into the car Grimshaw slides on in with them. Louis wants to puke having to sit right beside him.

“So we’re just going to drive up! My dear friend Louis is going to tell the night guard to open the front doors and turn off the alarm system, then Louis is going to walk me to the restricted room where he is going to unlock _both_ doors keeping it hidden, and finally he’s going to let me take all the pretty little things that have been hiding in there for the last few months and watch me walk back out and you can both go crawling back to your little routine lives. Isn’t that a great plan?”

Louis rolls his eyes but nods for Harry’s sake who is currently shaking like a leaf beside him. “And if any of that gets ruined because you decide you want to play hero and not take part in my plan,” Nick suddenly squeezes Louis’ hurt leg so hard it makes tears form in his eyes, “I will shoot you again and then my lovely friend Harold over here has to die.” Nick gets closer to Louis ear, now rubbing small intimate circles into Louis’ leg. “Do you understand?” he snarls. Louis nods frantically.

\-----

Grimshaw looks up and down the street looking for any sign of movement at all. When he’s satisfied that no one is around he opens the door dragging Louis out behind him. Louis’ leg protests and burns with each step but he tries to keep up with his long strides. He looks back expecting to see Harry somewhere behind him, but he’s still in the car. “What about Harry?” Louis asks halting in the middle of the street.

Nick’s face is twisted in annoyance. “He’s fine where he is, I don’t need him right now. Right now I need _you_ to go do your fucking job.” He pushes Louis towards the steps then hides himself around the corner of the building. Louis has to practically crawl up the steps on his own. He knows there are cars full of people watching him, just waiting for the plan to unfold, so Louis tugs on the door finding it locked just like he knew it would be. He takes a breath and knocks loudly on the glass waiting until the night guard comes up.

He recognizes Louis immediately, reaching out to unlock the door but then his eyes actually take Louis in. He sees the way he stands like he’s been hurt, the way his shoes and shirt are splattered with blood and dirt from the tiny room in the woods. He looks awful and he’s sure his face looks just as bad from when he got punched on the first night. The guard thinks better of unlocking the door and takes a step back. That’s good; It’s what he should do, but Louis sees Grimshaw walking toward him from the shadows so he knocks again, begging the man to open the door with his eyes, mouthing ‘please’ over and over until the man comes closer.

He unlocks it even though his eyes don’t look like they trust anything that is going on. As soon as the door clicks Grimshaw is pushing Louis into the museum and forcing him towards the alarm system to deactivate it. He hears the three beeps that confirm the system is down and Grimshaw pulls out his phone to call the rest of his team in. “Higgins stay with young Harold…we might need him.” he says into the phone then grins at Louis. “Hopefully we won’t though.”

The rest of the men swarm through the museum taking everything they can get their hands on while the night guard lays unconscious on the ground. Louis thanks God they didn’t kill him.

Two of the men work to break all the cameras in the corners while others start taking paintings and pieces back to the cars. Nick watches it all unfold for a bit then decides it’s time to move on. He pushes Louis with the tip of his gun between his shoulder blades, forcing Louis to guide him to the door he wants.

They reach the big oak entrance and it looks just like any of the other doors in the building, except this one his hiding away jewelry and pieces worth millions from the general public. He opens the panel beside the door and begins typing in the long familiar code to disarm it. The pieces in the restricted room even get their own alarm system, that’s not connected to the rest of the building. He messes up once and the system flashes red. Grimshaw eyes him from the side of the door like he’s about to strike him. When Louis tries again this time the system flashes green. He pauses for a moment looking at Grimshaw leaning against the wall staring at him. “I need the key to open this one.”

“Oh right!” Grimshaw laughs to himself digging through his pocket, “Almost forgot.” He smiles handing it to Louis. Louis unlocks the big brown door that swings to reveal the thick sliver plated one now staring him in the face. The three bolts glint in the light as Nick digs through his pocket to find the keys that match. He hands them over to Louis whose fingers tremble each time he hears one of the locks click.

Finally Louis is at the last step. He opens the fingerprint recognition panel and Nick practically purrs when Louis presses his finger to it. He waits for the green dot to appear and the door to swing open, but that doesn’t happen.

All the blood rushes from Louis’ face and hi heart starts racing. He doesn’t know what’s happening. The door is supposed to open with his print on the panel. That was the whole reason Grimshaw needed him in the first place. He gets pushed out of the way when he suddenly comes barreling into Louis’ side to stand in front of the door. He yanks at it for several seconds and even presses his own thumb on the pad, but the silver door doesn’t budge. Louis feels that familiar panic rising up. He feels sick. His print didn’t work because Eleanor probably had it changed to hers since Louis went missing. Harry was right; he’s going to be killed because he’s useless. Nick will get rid of him and find the person who can open it.

Grimshaw rounds on him, his eyes alight in an angry blaze. “Why the bloody fuck isn’t it working?!” Louis shakes his head cowering into the door but Grimshaw snatches him up. “ANSWER ME!!” He puts the gun to Louis’ head then thinks better of it and gets his phone out instead. “Bring the boy!” he growls then throws the phone against the opposite wall.

“I- I don’t know why it won’t open! It’s supposed to, I- I don’t know just please, please don’t do this! I can call someone! Let me come back tomorrow and find out for you!” Louis is rambling off ideas trying to buy him and Harry some time, but it isn’t working. Grimshaw isn’t listening to him. Instead he paces back and forth in front of the silver door.

Harry gets shoved into the space with them and Grimshaw’s fists immediately grab him up. He makes Harry get on his knees facing Louis then touches the gun to the back of his head. Harry is sobbing before him and Louis can barely see from his own tears. He feels the vomit rising at the thought of anything happening to Harry, of anything happening to either of them.

“Now…” Grimshaw takes a deep breath pushing his hair back from his forehead in a smooth motion. “You try again, Louis Tomlinson. You do it again and if you can’t get it right this time I’m going to shoot this idiot, then you, and put you both out of your fucking misery!”

Louis can’t breathe. He tries to say so as he leans against the wall for support but the words won’t come out. Harry is looking at him, eyes bloodshot with tracks of tears running down his face. He knows Louis won’t be able to open the door, even Louis knows it. “GET ON WITH IT! We don’t have all bloody night!” rips through the night.

Louis straightens, forcing himself to look Harry in the eyes. Louis’ eyes are puffy from crying so hard that he can barely see, but he makes out Harry’s sad smile. Louis mouths ‘ _I’m sorry_ ’ then turns back to face the door. He takes a deep breath, preparing himself for the sound of the gun as he places his thumb against the panel. He shuts his eyes when he sees the red light flash, waiting, expecting, but then he hears an unfamiliar voice.

“Move your weapon away from him and drop it to the ground.”

Louis doesn’t dare move but he doesn’t hear anyone else moving behind him either. “Sir, I asked you to drop your weapon. This is the final warning.” It feels like he waits a decade but then he hears something metal hit the ground and then lots of footsteps rushing up behind him. Louis nearly jumps out of his skin when a hand touches his shoulder. “Are you Louis Tomlinson?” He turns to see the face of a police officer and he is crying before he can even respond. “Louis Tomlinson?” he asks again in a softer voice. Louis nods then turns to see Harry crouched down on the floor having a similar conversation with another officer.  Grimshaw is face down with a couple of officers holding him in place while he gets handcuffed. Louis is so relieved that his legs give out on him before he can even sit.

\----

He and Harry get taken to the hospital first thing, and Louis is sure he’s never had this many people talking to him and asking him questions before in his entire life; and that includes very busy days at the museum. He gets questioned by a million police officers, then he gets poked and prodded by a million nurses, then just when he thinks he’s finished, a million doctors come in and ask him more questions and prescribe him more shit.

When he finally wakes up his family are all there and he feels like he’s been drugged, but that’s only because he has. He reaches down to palm at his bullet wound and he can barely even feel it. His mom restarts the trend of asking him questions but Louis can’t be bothered to answer her. She’s in the middle of asking if he thinks he would like to go back to work at the same museum when Louis interrupts her. The nurse currently checking the levels of his IV stops working when the room falls silent.

“Where is Harry?”

They both look at him with surprise. The nurse answers him though. “He’s in another room resting…just like you. You can see him another time.” She gives him a knowing smile. This is the same nurse he snapped at when she took out Harry’s homemade stitches and redid them herself. “I’ll tell him you asked about him when he wakes up.”

The next day his mom takes his sisters home and leaves him there with nothing but the sound of his monitors. Louis feels numb all over, and it’s not from the constant stream of drugs being pumped into his system. He loves his family so much, really, but they aren’t his concern right now. When he sleeps it’s restless and he’s never quite sure what he dreams about when he wakes up, he just knows he’s afraid until Harry comes into the dream and makes him feel better.

It’s another two days before Harry comes awkwardly shuffling into his room, his IV like a dog on a leash beside him. He looks so much better than Louis has seen him in a while. It makes him grin just seeing Harry’s smile back in place, his dimples right where they should be.

“Hey Lou…” he waves, “If you’re too tired I can always come back another time.” Harry’s eyes dart around the empty room waiting for Louis to respond.

Louis shakes his head grinning, “Get your arse in here, Styles.”

Harry sits down in the chair next to the bed and Louis links their hands together. He pulls Harry’s fist up to his lips, leaving a kiss there.

They’re quiet for a long while just looking at each other before Harry sits on Louis’ bed, curling up into Louis’ side. Louis feels him crying before he sees the tears, but he doesn’t say anything because Louis lasts another two minutes before he’s crying with him. Harry notices after a while and sits up, rubbing at his eyes and Louis’ hair.

“Everything is going to be alright Lou. I know it is.” Harry tells him.

Louis nods because Harry’s eyes look hopeful again; they look happy and that’s more than enough proof for him. He softly kisses Harry’s lips, “I know it will.”

\---

Martin’s funeral has to be one of the worst things Louis has ever had to endure, and that includes being shot and having Harry stitch his thigh together without any pain killers. He feels like the congregation is judging him the whole time they lower Martin’s body into the ground. He knows they blame him for Martin being dead, and Louis agrees with them. It’s his fault, but Harry holds his hand through it the whole time, assuring him that it isn’t.

He and Harry both get the word that they can return back to work after Louis stayed out to let his leg heal for four weeks. Harry was right there with him the whole time.

The week before Louis went back to work was when Harry asked him out on a real date, rather than the one he was forced to ask Louis on all that time ago. He helped Louis into his car and drove him out to the restaurant of Louis’ choice. Harry called ahead and reserved a table just so Louis could sit comfortably and not have to stand and wait on his bad leg. Louis kissed him after on the way home for being so wonderful and giving him hope when he thought they weren’t going to make it. Harry laughed at him and pecked his lips saying, “I’m just sorry I bought you drinks then coerced you into being kidnapped the first time.”

Now they stand on the steps of the museum together, hand in hand as the clock strikes eight. This is their first day back and it feels like a huge moment to be walking back through these doors by choice rather than under the threat of losing their lives. Louis keeps reaching for the handle as if he’s going to open it, but then lets his arm dangle back to his side. Harry waits patiently next to him.

“There’s no rush, Lou. We can always start back another day if it’s too soon.” He soothes, rubbing patterns into Louis’ hand. Louis shakes his head. He wants to get this over with today; it’s silly being afraid of a pair of double doors. He reaches for it again and right when he’s about to grab the handle a flash of blonde hair pushes past him and opens it instead.

“I’ve been staring at you two from my car for the last five minutes. Are you coming in or are you just going to look at it?” Perrie teases them, hand on her hip as she leans against the door.

“Yeah Yeah, don’t be rude, we’re coming we just needed a minute!” Louis quips half-heartedly.

“Looks like you need more of a century to me.” Perrie jokes under her breath. She holds open the door giving Harry and Louis a look. “Now or never.”

Harry pulls Louis in for a quick kiss then walks inside behind him. Perrie rolls her eyes grinning as they pass her to go turn off the alarm system. “Just what this place needs. More people making out in corners and not giving a damn about art or history.”

Louis laughs pulling Harry in for a dramatic kiss beside the welcome kiosk just to get on her nerves. He could definitely get used to making out in corners with Harry.

 

The end


End file.
